Portable cleaner provided with exhaust regulating unit

ABSTRACT

A portable cleaner includes: a housing; a motor; a fan; a dust filter; and an exhaust regulating unit. The housing is formed with an intake port, an exhaust port, and a blower port. The housing defines an air passage providing a communication between the intake port, the exhaust port, and the blower port. The fan is disposed in the air passage and rotationally driven by the motor. The fan is configured to draw air into the air passage through the intake port and to exhaust the air from the air passage through at least one of the exhaust port and the blower port while rotating. The dust filter is disposed in the air passage at a position between the intake port and the fan. The exhaust regulating unit is provided at the housing and configured to regulate an amount of the air exhausted from the air passage through the blower port.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-214627 filed Sep. 27, 2012. The entire content of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a portable cleaner, and particularly to a portable cleaner that draws air through an air inlet and expels air through an air outlet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One type of electric cleaner well known in the art is a portable cleaner powered by a secondary battery.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The conventional cleaner has difficulty collecting grit lodged in cracks around window frames and dust in corners of rooms and tracks of sliding doors.

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable cleaner that does not stir up ambient dust and that is capable of actively dislodging and collecting grit and dust from areas, such as corners of rooms and tracks of sliding doors.

In order to attain the above and other objects, the present invention provides a portable cleaner including: a housing; a motor; a fan; a dust filter; and an exhaust regulating unit. The housing is formed with an intake port, an exhaust port, and a blower port. The housing defines an air passage providing a communication between the intake port, the exhaust port, and the blower port. The motor is accommodated in the housing. The fan is disposed in the air passage and configured to be rotationally driven by the motor. The fan is configured to draw air into the air passage through the intake port and to exhaust the air from the air passage through at least one of the exhaust port and the blower port while rotating. The dust filter is disposed in the air passage at a position between the intake port and the fan. The exhaust regulating unit is provided at the housing and configured to regulate an amount of the air exhausted from the air passage through the blower port.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a portable cleaner including: a motor; a fan; a housing; an intake port; a dust filter; a blower port; a battery pack; and a handle. The fan is attached to the motor. The housing defines an internal space and has a front portion and a rear portion. The motor is accommodated in the internal space. The intake port is formed in the front portion of the housing. The dust filter is accommodated in the internal space. The blower port is formed in the front portion of the housing. The battery pack is provided at the rear portion of the housing. The handle is provided at the housing and configured to be held by a user.

According to still another aspect, the present invention provides a portable cleaner including: a motor; a fan; a housing; a first air inlet port; a dust filter; a blower port; a battery pack; and a second air inlet port. The fan is attached to the motor. The housing accommodates the motor therein. The first air inlet port is formed in the housing. The dust filter is accommodated in the housing at a position between the first air inlet port and the fan. The blower port is formed in the housing. The battery pack is provided at the housing. The second air inlet port is formed in the housing at a position between the dust filter and the fan.

According to still another aspect, the present invention provides a portable cleaner including: a motor; a fan; a housing; an intake port; a dust filter; a blower port; and a battery pack. The fan is attached to the motor. The housing accommodates the motor therein. The intake port is formed in the housing. The dust filter is accommodated in the housing. The blower port is formed in the housing. An air is expelled from the blower port to blow away dust. The battery pack is provided at the housing.

According to still another aspect, the present invention provides a portable cleaner including: a motor; a fan; a housing; an intake port; a dust filter; a battery pack; a handle; and a blower port. The fan is attached to the motor. The housing accommodates the motor therein and has a rear portion. The housing defines a passage spatially continuous with the fan. The intake port is formed in the housing. The dust filter is accommodated in the housing. The battery pack is provided at the rear portion. The handle is provided at the housing and configured to be held by a user. The blower port is formed in the housing and in communication with the passage.

According to still another aspect, the present invention provides a portable cleaner configured to clean a cleaning target including: a housing; a motor; a fan; and a dust filter. The housing is formed with an intake port and an exhaust port. The housing defines an air passage providing a communication between the intake port and the exhaust port. The motor is accommodated in the housing. The fan is disposed in the air passage and configured to be rotationally driven by the motor. The fan is configured to draw air into the air passage through the intake port and to exhaust the air from the air passage through the exhaust port while rotating. The dust filter is disposed in the air passage at a position between the intake port and the fan. The air drawn in the air passage is exhausted through the exhaust port in a direction away from the cleaning target.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a right side view of a portable cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a front view of the portable cleaner according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 1C is a top plan view of the portable cleaner according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the portable cleaner according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3A is a bottom view showing an essential portion of the portable cleaner according to the first embodiment when air is only being drawn into and not expelled from the portable cleaner;

FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram illustrating airflow in a state shown in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a bottom view showing an essential portion of the portable cleaner according to the first embodiment when air is being drawn into and expelled from the portable cleaner;

FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating airflow in a state shown in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5 is a right side view of a portable cleaner according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the portable cleaner according to the second embodiment;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams illustrating an air inlet part and a slitted inlet gating unit of the portable cleaner according to the second embodiment; and in which FIG. 7A shows a state where slits formed in the air inlet part and slits formed in the slitted inlet gating unit are in communication with each other, and FIG. 7B shows a state where communication between the slits formed in the air inlet part and the slits formed in the slitted inlet gating unit is interrupted;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a disc portion provided in the portable cleaner according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a portable cleaner according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged view of exhaust openings formed in the portable cleaner according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a housing of the portable cleaner according to the third embodiment from a right front perspective when a switching unit of the portable cleaner is in a first position;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the housing of the portable cleaner according to the third embodiment from a right rear perspective when the switching unit is in the first position;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the housing of the portable cleaner according to the third embodiment when the switching unit is in a second position;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the housing of the portable cleaner according to the third embodiment from a right front perspective when the switching unit is in the second position; and

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the housing of the portable cleaner according to the third embodiment from a right rear perspective when the switching unit is in the second position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 1. First Embodiment

A portable cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described while referring to FIGS. 1A through 4 wherein like parts and components are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid duplicating description.

As shown in FIGS. 1A through 2, the portable cleaner 1 includes a housing 10, a motor 18, and a fan 19.

In the following description, the left side of the portable cleaner 1 in FIG. 1A will be defined as the rear side, while the right side in FIG. 1A will be defined as the front side. The top and bottom sides of the portable cleaner 1 in FIG. 1A will be defined as the top and bottom sides, respectively. Further, the bottom of the portable cleaner 1 in FIG. 1C will be defined as the right side, while the top will be defined as the left side.

The housing 10 is configured of a body-side housing 11, and a cover-side housing 12. The cover-side housing 12 is detachably mountable on the body-side housing 11. As shown in FIG. 2, an engaging part 11A is provided on a lower front portion of the body-side housing 11. The engaging part 11A is a recess that is generally U-shape in a cross section. A protruding part 12A is provided on a lower rear end portion of the cover-side housing 12. The protruding part 12A can engage with the engaging part 11A of the body-side housing 11. A hook 11B is provided on an upper front end portion of the body-side housing 11, while a latch part 12B is provided on an upper rear end portion of the cover-side housing 12.

The latch part 12B has a latch-engaging part 12C elongated horizontally, and a support part 12D. When operated, the latch-engaging part 12C is configured to pivotally move (seesaw) about the support part 12D. A front part 12F of the latch-engaging part 12C is constantly urged upward by a spring 12E. A rear part 12G of the latch-engaging part 12C can engage the hook 11B.

The cover-side housing 12 is fixed to the body-side housing 11 when the rear part 12G of the latch-engaging part 12C is engaged with the hook 11B and the protruding part 12A is engaged with the engaging part 11A, as shown in FIG. 2.

By pressing down on the front part 12F with a finger, a user of the portable cleaner 1 can lift the rear part 12G of the latch-engaging part 12C upward to disengage the rear part 12G from the hook 11B. By disengaging the rear part 12G from the hook 11B and disengaging the protruding part 12A from the engaging part 11A, the cover-side housing 12 can be removed from the body-side housing 11.

A cover-side handle part 12H is provided on a top portion of the cover-side housing 12 at a generally front-rear center portion thereof, enabling the user of the portable cleaner 1 to grip the cover-side housing 12.

A handle 11C is provided on a top portion of the body-side housing 11. The handle 11C has a generally U-shape, with the body-side housing 11 closing an open end of the “U”. A space 11 a is defined inside the U-shaped handle 11C by the handle 11C and the body-side housing 11. The handle 11C and the body-side housing 11 are integrally formed of molded plastic.

A trigger 13 is provided on a front end of the handle 11C and is positioned at the space 11 a to be operated by the user. A battery pack 14 is provided on a lower rear end portion of the body-side housing 11. The battery pack 14 is detachably mounted relative to the body-side housing 11 and houses lithium-ion battery cells.

An exhaust-regulating unit 15 (see FIG. 2) is provided on a lower front end portion of the body-side housing 11. The exhaust-regulating unit 15 is generally cylindrical in shape, open on a top portion thereof and closed on a bottom portion thereof. The exhaust-regulating unit 15 is supported to the body-side housing 11 so as to be rotatable relative to the body-side housing 11 about its axial center. A knob 15A (see FIGS. 3A and 4A) is provided on a bottom surface of the exhaust-regulating unit 15. The knob 15A is generally I-shaped in a bottom view and is exposed on an outside of the portable cleaner 1.

As shown FIGS. 3B and 4B, notches 15 a are formed in a peripheral wall of the exhaust-regulating unit 15 for providing a communication between the interior and exterior of the exhaust-regulating unit 15. The notches 15 a are formed at opposing positions in the exhaust-regulating unit 15 on opposite sides of the I-shaped knob 15A and span a range of approximately 90 degrees along a circumferential direction of the exhaust-regulating unit 15.

Exhaust slits (exhaust port) 12 a and an emission-side opening 12 b are formed in portions of the body-side housing 11 that oppose the peripheral wall of the exhaust-regulating unit 15, i.e., parts of the lower front end portion of the body-side housing 11 that surround the peripheral wall of the exhaust-regulating unit 15.

As shown in FIGS. 1A, 3B, and 4B, the exhaust slits 12 a penetrate the body-side housing 11 so as to provide communication between the interior and exterior of the body-side housing 11. More specifically, the exhaust slits 12 a are formed in left and right side portions of the body-side housing 11 that surround the peripheral wall of the exhaust-regulating unit 15. The respective exhaust slits 12 a are formed over a range of approximately 90 degrees along the circumferential direction of the exhaust-regulating unit 15 centered on the axial center of the exhaust-regulating unit 15.

As shown in FIGS. 3B and 4B, the emission-side opening 12 b penetrates the body-side housing 11 so as to provide communication with an air emission tube 16 described later. The emission-side opening 12 b is formed in a front end of the body-side housing 11 that surrounds the peripheral wall of the exhaust-regulating unit 15. The emission-side opening 12 b spans a range of approximately 90 degrees along a direction equivalent to the circumferential direction of the exhaust-regulating unit 15 centered on the axial center of the exhaust-regulating unit 15.

An intake port 12 c is formed in a front end of the cover-side housing 12. The intake port 12 c is a forward-facing opening that provides communication between the interior and exterior of the cover-side housing 12. The air emission tube 16 is provided on a bottom portion of the cover-side housing 12 and is configured of a separate member from the cover-side housing 12. As illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 4A, the air emission tube 16 is fastened to the cover-side housing 12 with screws. The air emission tube 16 constitutes part of the housing 10.

A blower port 16 a is formed in a front end of the air emission tube 16 as a forward-facing opening positioned adjacent to the intake port 12 c. A rear end of the air emission tube 16 is in communication with the emission-side opening 12 b when the cover-side housing 12 is fixed to the body-side housing 11. As shown in FIG. 2, a passage 16 b is formed inside the air emission tube 16, a front end of the passage 16 b communicating with the blower port 16 a and a rear end communicating with the emission-side opening 12 b. The intake port 12 c is in communication with a space surrounding the fan 19 through a dust filter 17 described later.

A rubber flap 12I is provided inside the cover-side housing 12 near the intake port 12 c. The flap 12I has a disc shape that substantially conforms to the intake port 12 c. An upper peripheral edge of the flap 12I is supported on the cover-side housing 12, allowing the flap 12I to pivotally move about the supported edge. A spring (not shown) urges the flap 12I into a position for closing the intake port 12 c, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the intake port 12 c remains in a closed state when an external force is not applied to the flap 12I. When the user of the portable cleaner 1 operates the trigger 13, the fan 19 begins rotating, producing a negative pressure in the cover-side housing 12 that causes the flap 12I to pivotally move inward, opening the intake port 12 c.

The bag-like dust filter 17 is provided inside a rear end portion of the cover-side housing 12, as shown in FIG. 2. That is, the dust filter 17 is disposed at a position between the intake port 12 c and the fan 19 in the front-rear direction. The dust filter 17 is formed of nonwoven fabric and has a circular opening formed in a rear end. An attachment part 17A is provided in the opening of the dust filter 17 and is coaxially fixed to the same. The attachment part 17A is generally cylindrical in shape and is detachably mountable on a dust-filter-attaching unit 21 described later. When the attachment part 17A is attached to the dust-filter-attaching unit 21, an axis of the attachment part 17A is generally aligned with a direction from the intake port 12 c to the fan 19.

The motor 18 is accommodated in a motor-accommodating space 11 b formed in the body-side housing 11 and is supported in the body-side housing 11 at a position slightly forward of a front-rear center portion thereof. The motor 18 is electrically connected to the battery pack 14 and the trigger 13. The motor 18 has an output shaft 18A and is oriented such that the output shaft 18A slopes upward from its rear end toward its front end.

This arrangement avoids part of the motor 18 protruding into the space 11 a defined by the handle 11C and the body-side housing 11. While it is also conceivable to dispose the motor 18 in a forward position that does not conflict with the space 11 a, such an arrangement would increase the overall front-rear dimension of the portable cleaner 1. By arranging the motor 18 as described above, the preferred embodiment makes effective use of the interior space of the body-side housing 11 below the handle 11C, thereby avoiding an overall increase in the front-rear dimension of the portable cleaner 1.

The fan 19 is a centrifugal fan and is disposed inside a front end portion of the body-side housing 11. The fan 19 is coaxially fixed to the output shaft 18A of the motor 18 and rotates together with the output shaft 18A.

A dust-filter-attaching unit 21 is provided in front of the fan 19. The dust-filter-attaching unit 21 has a generally cylindrical shape and protrudes forward from the front end of the body-side housing 11 to a position inside the cover-side housing 12, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The attachment part 17A is detachably mounted in an opening formed in a front axial end of the dust-filter-attaching unit 21 and shares a coaxial orientation with the dust-filter-attaching unit 21. A rear axial end of the dust-filter-attaching unit 21 confronts the fan 19.

Next, the operations of the portable cleaner 1 will be described.

When performing dust collection, first the user of the portable cleaner 1 grips the knob 15A of the exhaust-regulating unit 15 and rotates the exhaust-regulating unit 15 to the position shown in FIG. 3A. This will be referred to as a first position that serves to set the portable cleaner 1 in a suction mode.

Next, the user squeezes the trigger 13 to drive the motor 18, causing the fan 19 to rotate. The rotating fan 19 draws air into the cover-side housing 12 through the intake port 12 c. The air passes through the dust filter 17 to the fan 19 and is introduced into the exhaust-regulating unit 15. The air subsequently passes through the notches 15 a and is exhausted from the body-side housing 11 through the exhaust slits 12 a, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3B.

In the suction mode, all air that flows into the cover-side housing 12 through the intake port 12 c is exhausted through the exhaust slits 12 a.

In order to use the portable cleaner 1 as a blower for expelling air from the blower port 16 a, the user first grips the knob 15A of the exhaust-regulating unit 15 and rotates the exhaust-regulating unit 15 to the position shown in FIG. 4A. This will be referred to as a second position that serves to set the portable cleaner 1 in a blower mode.

Next, the user squeezes the trigger 13 to drive the motor 18, causing the fan 19 to rotate. The rotating fan 19 draws air into the cover-side housing 12 through the intake port 12 c. The air passes through the dust filter 17, flows to the fan 19, and is introduced into the exhaust-regulating unit 15. The air subsequently passes through the notch 15 a of the exhaust-regulating unit 15 that confronts the emission-side opening 12 b, flows through the passage 16 b of the air emission tube 16, and is expelled from the blower port 16 a, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 4B.

In the blower mode, all air introduced into the cover-side housing 12 through the intake port 12 c is expelled from the blower port 16 a.

Further, if the user wishes to reduce the amount of air that is expelled from the blower port 16 a, first the user grips the knob 15A of the exhaust-regulating unit 15 and rotates the exhaust-regulating unit 15 approximately 45 degrees clockwise from the position in FIG. 3A. The exhaust-regulating unit 15 is now in an intermediate position between the first and second positions shown in FIGS. 3A and 4A. Accordingly, the interior space of the exhaust-regulating unit 15 is now in communication with both the space inside the air emission tube 16 and the space outside the body-side housing 11 through the notches 15 a of the exhaust-regulating unit 15.

Next, the user squeezes the trigger 13 to drive the motor 18, causing the fan 19 to rotate. The rotating fan 19 draws air into the cover-side housing 12 through the intake port 12 c. The air passes through the dust filter 17, flows to the fan 19, and is introduced into the exhaust-regulating unit 15.

Subsequently, some of the air introduced into the exhaust-regulating unit 15 passes through the notches 15 a formed in the exhaust-regulating unit 15, flows through the passage 16 b of the air emission tube 16, and is expelled from the blower port 16 a. The remaining portion of the air introduced into the exhaust-regulating unit 15 passes through the notches 15 a and is exhausted from the body-side housing 11 through the exhaust slits 12 a. In this case, only a portion of the air introduced into the cover-side housing 12 through the intake port 12 c is expelled from the blower port 16 a, thereby reducing the amount of expelled air.

By providing the portable cleaner 1 with the exhaust-regulating unit 15 and by forming the exhaust slits 12 a in the housing 10 as described in the embodiment, the user can adjust the amount of air being expelled from the blower port 16 a simply by rotating the exhaust-regulating unit 15. Further, when the user wishes to use the portable cleaner 1 solely for collecting dust, the user sets the portable cleaner 1 to the suction mode, thereby preventing air from being expelled from the blower port 16 a and, hence, preventing dust from being stirred up by expelled air.

Further, when the portable cleaner 1 is set to the suction mode for dust collection, the portable cleaner 1 can effectively collect dust since both the intake port 12 c and the blower port 16 a are formed in the front end of the housing 10.

Further, by setting the portable cleaner 1 to the suction mode for dust collection, the portable cleaner 1 can perform very effective dust collection since the intake port 12 c and the blower port 16 a are disposed adjacent to each other.

2. Second Embodiment

A portable cleaner 101 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will next be described with reference to FIGS. 5 through 8.

The portable cleaner 101 according to the second embodiment differs from the portable cleaner 1 according to the first embodiment in that the portable cleaner 101 has a cover-side housing 112 in which air inlet parts 112D are provided, and a disc portion 123 for preventing air inflow through the intake port 12 c. The remaining structure of the portable cleaner 101 is identical to the portable cleaner 1 according to the first embodiment. Hence, like parts and components are designated by the same reference numerals as those shown in the first embodiment to avoid duplicating description.

The air inlet parts 112D are provided at left and right rear end portions of the cover-side housing 112 at symmetrical positions in a left-right direction. The air inlet part 112D has a rectangular shape and is formed with a plurality of slit-like through-holes 112 d (FIG. 7A, 7B). Slitted inlet gating units 122 (see FIG. 7A, 7B) are provided inside the cover-side housing 112 at positions opposing the respective air inlet parts 112D. The slitted inlet gating unit 122 has a rectangular shape that conforms substantially to the shape of the air inlet part 112D and is formed with a plurality of slit-like through-holes 122 a.

A pair of rail-like guide parts (not shown) is provided on each of left and right inner sides of the cover-side housing 112. The widthwise edges of the slitted inlet gating unit 122 are supported by the corresponding pair of guide parts and can slide within the guide parts along their longitudinal direction. A lever (not shown) is provided at the cover-side housing 112 for moving the slitted inlet gating unit 122, so that the user can move the slitted inlet gating unit 122 through the lever. By sliding within the guide parts, the slitted inlet gating unit 122 can be moved to a position in which the slits 122 a formed in the slitted inlet gating unit 122 are aligned with the slits 112 d formed in the air inlet part 112D, as shown in FIG. 7A, and hence, are in a communicative state. Alternatively, the slitted inlet gating unit 122 can be moved so that its slits 122 a are offset from the slits 112 d formed in the air inlet part 112D, as shown in FIG. 7B, and hence, are in a non-communicative state. In other words, the slitted inlet gating unit 122 is configured to regulate an amount of air drawn in through the air inlet part 112D.

An air feed tube (not shown) is provided inside the cover-side housing 112. More specifically, the air feed tube is provided in a region of the cover-side housing 112 opposing the air inlet part 112D. One end of the air feed tube covers an entire portion of the air inlet part 112D in the cover-side housing 112, and another end of the air feed tube is connected to the dust-filter-attaching unit 21. Thus, an internal space of the air feed tube is in communication with an internal space of the dust-filter-attaching unit 21.

The disc portion 123 is disposed in an open portion of the front end of the attachment part 17A provided in the dust filter 17. That is, the disc portion 123 is disposed at a position between the intake port 12 c and the fan 19 in the front-rear direction. The disc portion 123 has a disc shape that is capable of closing the open portion in the front end of the attachment part 17A. As shown in FIG. 8, a rotational bar 123A is fixed in a peripheral edge of the disc portion 123 and extends radially outward from the disc portion 123. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a lever 123B is fixed to the distal end of the rotational bar 123A. Pivotally moving the lever 123B causes the disc portion 123 to rotate about an axis of the rotational bar 123A. This operation enables the user to open and close the open portion in the front end of the attachment part 17A. That is, the disc portion 123 is configured to regulate an amount of air drawn in through the intake port 12 c.

Next, the operations of the portable cleaner 101 will be described.

When using the portable cleaner 101 solely as a blower for expelling air from the blower port 16 a and not for dust collection, the user grips the knob 15A of the exhaust-regulating unit 15 and rotates the exhaust-regulating unit 15 to the second position shown in FIG. 4A. The user also moves the slitted inlet gating unit 122 to the position shown in FIG. 7A. The user also moves the lever 123B to place the disc portion 123 in position for closing the open portion in the front end of the attachment part 17A. Through these operations, the portable cleaner 101 is set to the blower mode.

Subsequently, the user squeezes the trigger 13 to drive the motor 18, causing the fan 19 to rotate. The rotating fan 19 draws air into the cover-side housing 112 through the air inlet parts 112D. The air flows to the fan 19 and is introduced into the exhaust-regulating unit 15. The air subsequently passes through the notch 15 a of the exhaust-regulating unit 15 that confronts the emission-side opening 12 b, flows through the passage 16 b of the air emission tube 16, and is expelled from the blower port 16 a. If the user wishes to adjust the amount of air intake, the user slides the slitted inlet gating unit 122 to an intermediate position between the positions shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B so that the air inlet parts 112D are partially opened with a suitable amount.

By providing the portable cleaner 101 with the disc portion 123 for blocking the open portion in the front end of the attachment part 17A and forming the air inlet parts 112D in the housing 10 with the slitted inlet gating units 122 disposed at positions confronting the respective air inlet parts 112D to allow air intake therethrough, the portable cleaner 101 can be used solely as a blower for expelling air from the blower port 16 a without drawing air through the intake port 12 c. This configuration achieves more efficient blower operations.

3. Third Embodiment

A portable cleaner 201 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will next be described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 15 wherein like parts and components are designated by the same reference numerals as those shown in the first embodiment to avoid duplicating description. Note that FIGS. 11 through 15 show only the housing 10 while omitting other components.

The portable cleaner 201 is a handheld cleaner that draws in dust from a surface P to be cleaned (cleaning target P). The portable cleaner 201 according to the third embodiment differs from those in the first and second embodiments in that a switching unit 215 is provided in place of the exhaust-regulating unit 15, and the structures of the cover-side housing 12 and the dust filter 17 are altered.

The housing 10 is configured of the body-side housing 11 and a cover-side housing 212. The motor 18 is accommodated in the motor-accommodating space 11 b formed in the body-side housing 11. A dust filter 217 is provided inside the cover-side housing 212.

The dust filter 217 is configured of a metallic mesh-type pre-filter 217A forming an outer layer of the dust filter 217; a filtering material 217B configured of a nonwoven fabric and positioned inside of the pre-filter 217A; a reinforcing part 217C positioned inside of the filtering material 217B for preventing the filtering material 217B from deforming inward; and a fixing unit 217D for fixing the pre-filter 217A and the filtering material 217B to the cover-side housing 212.

A rib 211A protrudes forward from the front side of the body-side housing 11 and extends to a position vertically inside the fixing unit 217D. The pre-filter 217A and the filtering material 217B are fixed to the body-side housing 11 by interposing the pre-filter 217A and the filtering material 217B between the rib 211A and the fixing unit 217D. By removing the fixing unit 217D from the rib 211A, the pre-filter 217A and the filtering material 217B can be replaced. The reinforcing part 217C is detachably mountable on the body-side housing 11.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a plurality of exhaust openings (exhaust port) 212 a is formed in a bottom surface of the body-side housing 11, and specifically in a surface of the body-side housing 11 on an opposite side of the handle 11C with respect to the motor 18. The plurality of exhaust openings 212 a is disposed in a position radially outward from the fan 19. The exhaust openings 212 a are formed across an entire left-right width of the bottom surface of the body-side housing 11. The exhaust openings 212 a are separated into left and right rows by a reinforcing rib 211C extending in the front-rear direction, while neighboring exhaust openings 212 a in each row are separated in the front-rear direction by reinforcing ribs 211B extending in the left-right direction.

This configuration can reduce the resistance on exhaust flow since the exhaust openings 212 a can be formed with a large area while maintaining the strength of the housing 10.

As shown in FIG. 10, the exhaust openings 212 a positioned farthest forward (hereinafter called the “forwardmost exhaust openings 212 a”) have a greater area than the other exhaust openings 212 a. This configuration allows the switching unit 215 described later to be supported in the forwardmost exhaust openings 212 a. An edge part 212A is provided on a front side of the forwardmost exhaust openings 212 a for defining the forwardmost exhaust openings 212 a together with the reinforcing ribs 211B and the reinforcing rib 211C. As shown in FIG. 9, the front edge of the edge part 212A is bent upward to form a protruding part 212B.

The switching unit 215 is pivotally movably provided at the bottom surface of the body-side housing 11 and can function to close the exhaust openings 212 a. That is, the switching unit 215 can pivotally move between a first position shown in FIG. 9 and a second position shown in FIG. 13.

The switching unit 215 is configured of a guide part 215A for guiding exhaust air, a support part 215B for supporting the switching unit 215 in the forwardmost exhaust openings 212 a, and a recessed part 215 c for determining the position of the switching unit 215 when the switching unit 215 is in the second position shown in FIG. 13 by being engaged with a projecting portion (not shown) provided in the body-side housing 11.

When the switching unit 215 is in the first position shown in FIG. 9, the guide part 215A guides air drawn in through the intake port 12 c by the fan 19 and flowing downstream in an intake direction A shown in FIG. 9 (rearward in FIG. 9) so that the air is expelled in a direction away from the surface P.

In the example of FIG. 9, the surface P is oriented approximately orthogonal to the intake direction A, but the portable cleaner 201 of the preferred embodiment can draw in dust from a surface (cleaning target) P oriented in any direction that intersects the intake direction A.

The guide part 215A prevents air from being discharged directly downward from the exhaust openings 212 a formed in the bottom surface of the body-side housing 11 by guiding the expelled air rearward, thereby preventing usage of the portable cleaner 201 from stirring up ambient dust particles. In the present embodiment, the guide part 215A slopes downward at an angle of about 30 degrees to the horizontal, as shown in FIG. 11. When the switching unit 215 is in the second position shown in FIG. 13, the guide part 215A functions as a cover for closing the exhaust openings 212 a.

The support part 215B extends diagonally upward and forward from a portion on a top surface of the guide part 215A near a front end thereof. The support part 215B has an upper front end provided with a distal end part 215C. A plate 216 is provided on the support part 215B. The switching unit 215 and the plate 216 are configured as separate members.

The support part 215B is formed with a groove (not shown) to prevent the support part 215B from interfering with the reinforcing rib 211C when the switching unit 215 is assembled to the body-side housing 11. The groove is formed in approximately the left-right center region of the support part 215B at a position corresponding to the reinforcing rib 211C.

When attaching the switching unit 215 to the body-side housing 11, the front portion of the guide part 215A is placed in contact with the edge part 212A, and the distal end part 215C of the support part 215B is placed in contact with the protruding part 212B. Accordingly, the edge part 212A is interposed between the distal end part 215C of the support part 215B and the guide part 215A and temporarily holds the switching unit 215 on the body-side housing 11. By fixing the plate 216 to the top portion of the support part 215B, the switching unit 215 is pivotally movably supported to the body-side housing 11.

The plate 216 is generally rectangular in shape and functions to interrupt communication between the passage 16 b and the motor-accommodating space 11 b when the switching unit 215 is in the first position (FIGS. 11 and 12) and to allow communication therebetween when the switching unit 215 is in the second position (FIGS. 13 and 15). More specifically, when the switching unit 215 is in the first position, a top edge of the plate 216 contacts a top wall of the passage 16 b and guides air from the fan 19 to the switching unit 215. When the switching unit 215 is in the second position, the top edge of the plate 216 is separated from the top wall of the passage 16 b.

Next, the operations of the portable cleaner 201 will be described.

When a strong suction force is required, the switching unit 215 is set to the first position shown in FIG. 1 (the suction mode). Next, the user squeezes the trigger 13 to drive the motor 18, causing the fan 19 to rotate. The rotation of the fan 19 draws air through the intake port 12 c in the intake direction A. The air passes through the pre-filter 217A and the filtering material 217B and flows to the fan 19. The direction of airflow is then diverted about 90 degrees by the fan 19 so that the air is discharged through the plurality of exhaust openings 212 a and guided out of the body-side housing 11 by the guide part 215A.

In the suction mode, all air that flows into the cover-side housing 212 through the intake port 12 c is exhausted from the exhaust openings 212 a.

When using the portable cleaner 201 as a blower by drawing air in through the intake port 12 c and expelling air from the blower port 16 a, the user places the switching unit 215 in the second position shown in FIG. 13 (blower mode). Next, the user squeezes the trigger 13 to drive the motor 18, causing the fan 19 to rotate. The rotating fan 19 draws air into the cover-side housing 212 through the intake port 12 c along the intake direction A. The air passes through the pre-filter 217A and the filtering material 217B and flows to the fan 19. At this point, the fan 19 redirects the airflow approximately 90 degrees. Subsequently, the air passes between the plate 216 and the top wall of the passage 16 b, flows through the passage 16 b of the air emission tube 16, and is expelled from the blower port 16 a.

In the blower mode, all air introduced into the cover-side housing 212 through the intake port 12 c is expelled from the blower port 16 a. Air expelled from the blower port 16 a functions to actively guide dust particles around the intake port 12 c into the intake port 12 c.

In conventional portable cleaners, an exhaust port is generally formed in a side surface or bottom surface of a housing. Providing the exhaust port in the side surface is problematic because air exhausted from the hole can stir up dust from nearby walls. Providing the exhaust port in the bottom surface of the housing is problematic because the exhausted air can raise dust from the floor.

However, with the portable cleaner 201 according to the third embodiment, air drawn in the housing 10 through the intake port 12 c is discharged through the exhaust openings 212 a in a direction away from the surface P when the portable cleaner 201 is operated in the suction mode, air exhausted while operating the portable cleaner 201 does not stir up ambient dust. Accordingly, the portable cleaner 201 can collect ambient dust efficiently.

Further, since the user can switch the switching unit 215 to select the blower mode so that air is no longer exhausted from the plurality of exhaust openings 212 a but is expelled from the blower port 16 a, air exhausted while operating the portable cleaner 201 can be prevented from unnecessarily stirring up ambient dust. Accordingly, the portable cleaner 201 can collect ambient dust efficiently.

Further, since the switching unit 215 for switching operating modes also serves to guide air exhausted through the plurality of exhaust openings 212 a in the suction mode, it is not necessary to provide two separate members for switching modes and for guiding air exhausted through the exhaust openings 212 a, thereby reducing the number of required parts.

Further, since the switching unit 215 is provided with the guide part 215A for guiding exhausted air, and the plate 216 for switching the path along which air flows, the switching unit 215 can switch the direction of exhausted air through a simple construction.

Further, since the intake port 12 c and the blower port 16 a are positioned adjacent to each other, the portable cleaner 201 can collect dust with great efficiency by preventing air from being expelled out of the blower port 16 a when performing dust collection. Further, since air expelled from the blower port 16 a is drawn back into the intake port 12 c, the portable cleaner 201 can actively collect dust around the blower port 16 a.

Since the plurality of exhaust openings 212 a is positioned on the opposite side of the handle 11C with respect to the motor 18, air exhausted from the portable cleaner 201 is not blown directly toward the user gripping the handle 11C.

Further, air drawn into the cover-side housing 212 along the intake direction A can be exhausted in a direction radially outward from the fan 19. Hence, air can be exhausted from the portable cleaner 201 using a simple structure, without curving the path along which air flows.

4. Modifications

While the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments thereof, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, the housing 10 and the battery pack 14 of the portable cleaner 1, 101, 201 are not limited to the shapes described in the embodiments described above. Further, the disc portion 123, the slitted inlet gating unit 122, and the exhaust-regulating unit 15 are not limited to the structures described in the embodiments described above, but other structures capable of adjusting the quantity of airflow may be available. The slitted inlet gating unit 122 may be moved in interlocking relation to the movement of the disc portion 123. For example, when the disc portion 123 is placed in position for closing the open portion in the front end portion of the attachment part 17A, each slitted inlet gating unit 122 is moved to a position in which the slits 122 a of the slitted inlet gating unit 122 are aligned with the slits 112 d of the air inlet part 112D in interlocking relation to the movement of the disc portion 123.

While the switching unit 215 described in the third embodiment moves between the first position and the second position, the structure of the switching unit 215 may be altered so that the switching unit 215 can be stopped at an intermediate point between the first position and the second position. This structure can adjust the quantity of air expelled from the blower port 16 a with greater precision. That is, the switching unit 215 may also serve as an exhaust regulating unit.

In the third embodiment, the guide part 215A slopes downward at an angle of about 30 degrees to the horizontal, but the guide part 215A may be set at any angle capable of exhausting air in a direction away from the surface P.

In the third embodiment, the switching unit 215 is supported to the body-side housing 11 by interposing the edge part 212A between the distal end part 215C of the support part 215B and the guide part 215A, but the switching unit 215 may be supported to the body-side housing 11 according to another structure. For example, the switching unit 215 may be pivotally movably supported to the body-side housing 11 about a pin extending in the left-right direction.

The portable cleaner according to the present invention is particularly applicable in the field of portable cleaners possessing both air blowing and suction functions. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable cleaner comprising: a housing formed with an intake port, an exhaust port, and a blower port, the housing defining an air passage providing a communication between the intake port, the exhaust port, and the blower port; a motor accommodated in the housing; a fan disposed in the air passage and configured to be rotationally driven by the motor, the fan being configured to draw air into the air passage through the intake port and to exhaust the air from the air passage through at least one of the exhaust port and the blower port while rotating; a dust filter disposed in the air passage at a position between the intake port and the fan; and an exhaust regulating unit provided at the housing and configured to regulate an amount of the air exhausted from the air passage through the blower port.
 2. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing has a shape elongated in a longitudinal direction, both the intake port and the blower port are disposed at one end portion of the housing in the longitudinal direction.
 3. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the intake port and the blower port are positioned adjacent to each other.
 4. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exhaust regulating unit includes a cylindrical rotational member rotationally supported to the housing, the rotational member having a circumferential wall formed with a notch for providing a communication between an interior and exterior of the rotational member, the interior of the rotational member being in communication with the intake port and constituting a part of the air passage; wherein the exhaust port is formed in the housing at a position confronting the circumferential wall, the exhaust port being configured to provide a communication between an interior and an exterior of the housing; and wherein the housing is further formed with an emission side opening at a position confronting the circumferential wall, the emission side opening being in communication with the blower port.
 5. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 4, wherein the exhaust regulating unit is configured to move selectively to one of a first position and a second position, wherein when the exhaust regulating unit is at the first position, the notch confronts the exhaust port to allow the air drawn in the air passage to be exhausted from the air passage through the exhaust port, and when the exhaust regulating unit is at the second position, the notch confronts the emission side opening to allow the air drawn in the air passage to be expelled from the air passage through the blower port.
 6. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air is drawn into the air passage through the intake port in an intake direction; wherein the intake port is positioned in the air passage at an upstream side of the dust filter in the intake direction; wherein the housing is further formed with an air inlet part that is configured to be in direct communication with a part of the air passage that is positioned at a downstream side of the dust filter in the intake direction, the housing including an inlet gating unit disposed at a position confronting the air inlet part and configured to regulate an amount of air drawn in the air passage through the air inlet part; and wherein the housing further includes an air inflow regulating unit disposed in the air passage at a position between the intake port and the fan and configured to regulate an amount of air drawn in the air passage through the intake port.
 7. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exhaust regulating unit is configured to pivotally move with respect to the housing, the exhaust regulating unit being configured to guide exhaust air through the exhaust port so that the air is expelled in a direction away from a cleaning target.
 8. A portable cleaner comprising: a motor; a fan attached to the motor; a housing defining an internal space and having a front portion and a rear portion, the motor being accommodated in the internal space; an intake port formed in the front portion of the housing; a dust filter accommodated in the internal space; a blower port formed in the front portion of the housing; a battery pack provided at the rear portion of the housing; and a handle provided at the housing and configured to be held by a user.
 9. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein an amount of air expelled from the blower port is configured to be regulated.
 10. A portable cleaner comprising: a motor; a fan attached to the motor; a housing accommodating the motor therein; a first air inlet port formed in the housing; a dust filter accommodated in the housing at a position between the first air inlet port and the fan; a blower port formed in the housing; a battery pack provided at the housing; and a second air inlet port formed in the housing at a position between the dust filter and the fan.
 11. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 10, wherein air inflow through the first air inlet port is configured to be regulated.
 12. A portable cleaner comprising: a motor; a fan attached to the motor; a housing accommodating the motor therein; an intake port formed in the housing; a dust filter accommodated in the housing; a blower port formed in the housing and from which an air is expelled to blow away dust; and a battery pack provided at the housing.
 13. A portable cleaner comprising: a motor; a fan attached to the motor; a housing accommodating the motor therein and having a rear portion, the housing defining a passage spatially continuous with the fan; an intake port formed in the housing; a dust filter accommodated in the housing; a battery pack provided at the rear portion; a handle provided at the housing and configured to be held by a user; and a blower port formed in the housing and in communication with the passage.
 14. A portable cleaner configured to clean a cleaning target comprising: a housing formed with an intake port and an exhaust port, the housing defining an air passage providing a communication between the intake port and the exhaust port; a motor accommodated in the housing; a fan disposed in the air passage and configured to be rotationally driven by the motor, the fan being configured to draw air into the air passage through the intake port and to exhaust the air from the air passage through the exhaust port while rotating; and a dust filter disposed in the air passage at a position between the intake port and the fan, wherein the air drawn in the air passage is exhausted from the air passage through the exhaust port in a direction away from the cleaning target.
 15. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 14, wherein the housing is formed with a blower port in communication with the intake port and through which at least part of the air drawn in the air passage through the intake port is expelled, the portable cleaner further comprising a switching unit configured to selectively switch between a first mode for allowing the air drawn in the air passage through the intake port to be exhausted from the air passage through the exhaust port and a second mode for allowing the air drawn in the air passage through the intake port to be expelled from the air passage through the blower port.
 16. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 15, wherein the switching unit is configured to guide the air exhausted through the exhaust port in the direction away from the cleaning target.
 17. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 15, wherein the switching unit is configured to pivotally move with respect to the housing.
 18. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 15, wherein the switching unit is configured to move to a first position for guiding the air drawn in the air passage to the exhaust port when the first mode is selected and to a second position for guiding the air drawn in the air passage to the blower port when the second mode is selected; and wherein the switching unit includes a guide part and a selection part, the guide part being configured to guide the air drawn in the air passage so that the air is exhausted from the air passage through the exhaust port in the direction away from the cleaning target when the switching unit is at the first position and to cover the exhaust port when the switching unit is at the second position, the selection part being configured to interrupt the communication between the intake port and the blower port when the switching unit is at the first position and to provide the communication between the intake port and the blower port when the switching unit is at the second position.
 19. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 15, wherein the intake port and the blower port are positioned adjacent to each other.
 20. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 14, wherein the housing includes a handle configured to be held by a user, and wherein the exhaust port is positioned opposite to the handle with respect to the motor.
 21. The portable cleaner as claimed in claim 14, wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan that allows the air flowing to the fan to be guided to the exhaust port through the air passage. 